


Listen to Me

by omoshira



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: 5 Seconds of Summer - Freeform, 5SOS - Freeform, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff and Smut, High School, Inspired by Music, Listen to Me, Music, Romance, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 10:12:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2187840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omoshira/pseuds/omoshira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ariel Langston is a student undergoing her final year of high school, a transitioning point for any young adult. As adulthood rushes to replace the phase of adolescence, she finds herself jaded with daily life. As the days go by she is struck by a sudden realization, she has no idea what it feels like to be in love. Her only indication of affection comes from the movies she's seen and the songs she's listened to. It has seemed all of her peers have experienced "love" it in some form or another and with the single-parent structure of her family she hasn't exactly had any examples to draw from. Conveniently for her, a foreign exchange student crosses paths with Ariel and the opportunity for romance might have just landed in the palm of her hands. Will Ariel finally discover what it means to have a real connection with another person, or will it turn out to be nothing but false hope?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> ATTENTION: This fanfiction will no longer receive new chapters, however, fear not, for I am in the process of "rebooting" the existing chapters into a more coherent story that I'm happy with. Thank you to those who've stayed and given me such positive support on this fic though!

I was yanked from my dream via the sounds of my cell phone alarm. The vibrations of a cheesy, bright, and way-too-early-to-be-happy ABBA song made their way into my eardrums. I rolled over in my sheets and reached out from under them, searching blindly for the wretched device. After a good minute of aimless grabbing, I groaned and forced myself from the warmth of my comforter. I found my phone and promptly shut the alarm off before kicking the covers and slipping my feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers that I had so thoughtfully prepared for myself the night before. My body ached and my eyes felt as if they were being physically weighed down by dumbbells. I had not gotten a good night's rest. Rather than accepting the fact that my summer was effectively coming to it's demise, I decided to remain in a state of denial and went on with my usual summer vacation routine which consisted of:

  1. Rising out of bed at around 2 in the afternoon.
  2. Eating a breakfast that consisted entirely of either cereal or microwaveable pizza bites.
  3. Reading new articles on both terrifying and trivial topics.
  4. Watching hours of trashy reality television.
  5. ~~Exercising~~ ~~Aerobics~~ ~~Physical~~ ~~Activity~~ Internet.
  6. Concluding the night at approximately 4 A.M. on a nightly basis.



Needless to say, my body still needed time to adjust to the sudden change. I made it to my bathroom and I stared at the my reflection, taking in the entirety of the wildebeest of a creature that was in front of me. My hair was messy and went off in various directions. It was as if I had turned into Medusa overnight and the snakes were instead replaced with tendrils of long, black, unkempt hair. I could've probably turned a person to stone if they saw me in that moment. My eyes had visible bags beneath them and my overall appearance could be described as someone who survived a mauling from a bear (save the blood and bruising of course, my night wasn't _that_ wild). I snapped my fingers at myself.

"Looking great," I said as I pulled open the cabinet containing my necessary toiletries. I grabbed a towel and headed for the shower. I leaned over the tub and turned the water on, waiting for it to warm up before finally stepping in. The water served well in waking me from my drowsy state and I hummed a tune as I lathered my hair with shampoo. I rinsed and began to lather my body with the cucumber body soap my mother had insisted I use so I could "be more lady-like." I didn't mind, I actually liked the smell of it despite the fact that I was so used to using just regular, scentless bar soap.

The shower didn't take very long, and soon I was back out into my bathroom with my towel in hand. I slipped into a bathrobe and wrapped my hair up into the towel. I opened the drawer containing my toothbrush and toothpaste and brushed my teeth. Makeup came next, and truthfully, I actually enjoyed this portion of my day. Watching myself transform from a sleepy mess to someone that was somewhat presentable was enjoyable to me. I applied foundation first, then concealer, then eyeliner. My face looked a bit too bare, so I continued by applying a modest amount of blush. Finally, I finished with a muted, pink, matte lipstick.

I walked back into my bedroom to get dressed, stripping myself of the towel and robe and then throwing them into my closet's hamper. I picked out a pair of panties and a matching bra. My legs slipped into a pair of washed out blue jeans and I slipped a comfortable, gray sweater over myself. I gazed at the reflection in my mirror. My hair was still damp, and I had yet to put socks or shoes on. I looked at the clock. It was only 6:30. Classes wouldn't even start until 8. I decided to wrap my hair back into the towel and head downstairs for breakfast.

As I made my way down the staircase I could smell the scent of my mother's cooking. I heard the sink and the clinking of silverware as I made my way to the kitchen. Sitting at the table, I could see my younger sister, Ruby, already partaking in the morning feast our mother had prepared for us. Laid out were plates of toast, eggs, and crispy bacon. The smell of it all was appetizing and I took no time in grabbing a plate for myself.

"Good morning," my mother said as she wiped off the counter tops.

"Good morning," I replied as I took my seat.

"Good morning," Ruby said with a mouth full of egg.

"Good morning to you too," I said.

I reached for the pitcher of orange juice and filled a glass for myself. Using a fork, I took a few pieces of bacon and an egg for myself.

"So who's excited for the first day this morning?" my mother asked, finally joining us at the table.

"I am!" Ruby shouted as she shoved a piece of toast into her mouth.

"And you?" my mother turned to me.

"Yeah," I said as I stabbed the egg with my fork, causing the yolk to ooze out.

"Just 'yeah?'" she pried.

"Yeah," I said.

I could see the sun shining from the kitchen window as the wind blew the autumn leaves about. It was beginning to look like the start of a beautiful day. The sunlight filtered through the curtains of our home and bathed the house in a warm morning glow.

"Must be pretty exciting," my mother said as she chewed, "Being your last year and all."

"Yep," I said as I swirled a piece of bacon into the yolk.

"Last year? What's gonna happen to Ari, mom?" Ruby asked, her mouth empty of food this time.

I take a breathe in to speak but my mother says something before I can.

"College," she firmly says then looks at me.

"Yeah," I say, looking down at the mess of yolk that's on my plate, "College."

This morning marked the beginning of the end. In a matter of months, I would be done with all of my classes and then shipped off somewhere to pursue higher education, a prospect I wasn't  _too_ excited about. But the idea of me going wasn't just for my benefit. My mother wanted me to go to college more than anything else. The prospect of college wasn't just so I could maybe earn a degree and get a higher paying job. I would be one of the first in my family to actually do so and this notion gave my mother a sense of a hope. A hope that her daughter would have a better life than she did.

"You're starting the 5th grade today, aren't you?" I said to Ruby.

She doesn't respond as her eyes shift from mine to her plate.

"She's a bit nervous," my mother says as she puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

The rest of the breakfast conversation went to small talk. We spoke of how my mother's new promotion would lead to her being home later, and that I would be responsible for my sister's transportation to and from school. The elementary school where my sister attended would start about half an hour earlier than my high school, and my mother's new work schedule would result in her having to leave the house earlier than before. After breakfast she said her goodbyes and went on her way.

"Don't forget to clean up after you girls are done okay?" my mother said as she prepared to leave.

"Okay," my sister and I said in unison.

"I love you," she said to both of us.

"I love you too mom!" Ruby shouted.

"You too," I said.

I cleaned up the kitchen proceeded to head upstairs to finish getting ready. Ruby went to the living room and turned on the television to watch a nature documentary as she waited. I took my hair out of the towel and used a blow dryer to finish the job. I opened my drawer again to retrieve a hairband. The first day of school wasn't something I necessarily wanted to be dressed up for, so ultimately, I decided to put my hair up into a high ponytail. Hiding the band that held my hair together, I took a strand and wrapped it around the elastic before pinning it down. Going back to my drawer, I pulled out a pair of white socks, put them on, then slipped my feet into a pair of comfortable tennis shoes. I did a few makeup touch ups before finally grabbing my backpack and keys.

"Ready to go?" I said as I went into the living room.

"Yeah," Ruby said as she shut the TV off and rose from the couch.

The drive was quick as Ruby's school was just a few blocks down. Our mother was too overprotective to let Ruby walk, so having me drop her off was the only option we had. I pulled up to the front of the school, we exchanged our goodbyes and I went off on my way. I had begun to think of how much Ruby had grown in such a short time. I could still remember the day she was born. I was around her age at the time. I remember my mother being so happy. As I drove off I saw her in my rear view mirror, shrinking the farther I drove.

"Go get 'em, champ," I said to her reflection.

As I pulled up into the parking lot of my school, I noticed that the lot wasn't as full as I expected it to be. There were a good number of cars parked nearby, but I didn't see a huge number of people walking about. I checked my phone for the time; it was 7:30. I reached behind my seat for my bag and then hopped out, locking the car door behind me. The sound of the gravel crumbling underneath my tennis shoes with every step I took was soothing. I walked to the front entrance of the school and let myself in. To my surprise, the halls were virtually empty. Everyone must either be coming late, or there was some sort of gathering that I was unaware of. I took my binder out of my bag and flipped it open, searching for the document that contained my schedule, locker number, and the accompanying combination.

"24," I said to myself as I read the number indicating which locker I would be assigned to.

The front door of the school welcomed those entering to a long hallway. To the left was the administration office followed by many windows that allowed you to see into the office's cubicles. Of course, this also meant that the administrators inside could also _see_ you. To the right was a long expanse of lockers that stretched from the entrance all the way down the hall. My locker was just a short walk down, which was a pleasant surprise. The three years I had attended the school saw me assigned to lockers with unpleasant locations. My Freshman year locker was located right next to the entrance to a boys' restroom. I inputted the combination into the dial and stuffed my unnecessary books inside. My first three classes consisted of: A.P. Literature, followed by Home Economics, then Statistics. There would be a 25 minute break for lunch, which would give me more than enough time to swap books for my remaining three classes.

I had just closed my locker when I caught a glimpse of the front door opening in my peripheral vision. Going through the doors was a boy, who looked about my age. From his face and arms, I could see that he was a pale, milky white. His body was adorned in clothes that were predominantly black. He wore a t-shirt, for a band that I wasn't familiar with, that exposed his forearms. His pants were a jet black that made me question whether he actually had legs or if he was just a torso floating above a space of nothingness. And of course, his feet were stuffed inside a pair of intimidating, studded, black boots. But his clothing and pale skin weren't what caught my attention at all. It was the fact that his hair was not a natural color, but instead a bright blue. His hair was the only thing about his person that had any quality of vibrancy and my eyes were drawn to it..

He seemed to have noticed me as he seems to have looked in my direction. It suddenly came to my attention that I was the only one in the hall and that I was probably staring at him for an uncomfortable length of time. I quickly turned on my heel, my bag's straps slung over both of my shoulders, and began to walk. My first class would be on the 2nd floor and I didn't intend on standing in the hall idly scrutinizing a stranger. But that was another thing that intrigued me about him. The fact that I had never in my high school career seen him around. My town was relatively small. Children usually went to school with each other knowing their classmates from birth. It was almost unheard of not knowing a person for a good amount of time. I reached the end of the hallway and made a right turn and proceeded to walk toward the nearby staircase. I ascended them, the soles of my tennis shoes making contact with the shiny, newly waxed floor tiles. At the top of the stairs I looked in both directions, searching for anyone I knew. There were a few people here and there, but nobody I really spoke to. I decided it would be best to just head for my 1st period class and wait out the remaining 15 minutes before class would start.

I found the classroom easily and stood by the entrance, the door was locked and no teacher was present. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and my screen was alight with a notification.

"hey! where are you!?" the message read.

The sender was my friend Clementine, who was affectionately titled "CLAM" under my contacts. I began to compose a reply.

"I'm waiting by my first period, what do you have?" I pressed send.

Within seconds I received a reply.

"i just pulled into the parking lot. what do you have for 1st???"

"A.P. lit," I sent back.

I turned my head to look at the room number. Just as I did so my phone vibrated again.

"OMG!!! me too! rm 12?"

I looked at the plaque confirming the number beside me.

"Yeah," I replied.

I waited a good five minutes before she appeared. She ascended the stairs in a sprint and as soon as she saw me she let out a high pitched shriek of what I could only hope was excitement.

"Oh my gosh! I haven't seen you in forever!" she shouted as she ran to me for a hug.

"Yeah! It's been a while," I said to her, "How was Florida?"

"Oh same ol' same ol', I was sick for most of the trip anyway so I don't remember much," she said with a sniffle.

"Oh, that sucks. I'm sorry."

We made small talk and as we did so I saw the halls gradually grow in population. Students seemed to be filtering in, because chatter, as well as locker doors slamming, could be heard from the floor beneath us. A few people waited in the hall where we stood. Some leaned against the opposite wall from the door and some stood by Clem and I, probably assuming we were forming some type of line.

"So how was your summer?" Clem asked me.

"It's been great," I said. And then I saw him at the steps.

My focus goes directly toward him and his neon blue hair. From this distance I was able to get a better glimpse of him. His eyes, this time, were directed toward a phone in his hand. From here, I could see remnants of stubble on his face, as well as his lips which were so red that when contrasted with his pale, white skin almost seemed cartoonish. I must've been staring again, because Clem caught on and turned to the direction I was facing.

"Who's that?" she said turning back to me.

"I don't know. I think he's new."

"A new kid? Here? That's crazy."

He leaned against the wall opposite of us and for a moment I thought the people there knew him. The people standing by him seemed just as confused as we did. Nobody bothered to talk him, and it didn't seemed like he minded since he seemed so absorbed in his mobile device. The teacher finally arrived, a chubby middle-aged man with a fading line of thin white hair, greeted us and unlocked the door. I took a seat toward the left side of the room where the windows were located. Clem sat directly behind me. The rest of the class filtered in just as we did and I noticed the blue-haired boy enter amongst the crowd. He walked into the row directly to the right of me. As he walked, I couldn't help but look at him, the blue in his hair had a distinctively mesmerizing quality to it as he passed by the sunlight filtering through the window. His eyes met mine and he walked passed, taking a seat in the back of the room.

Class started soon afterward as the teacher passed out the syllabus down the rows. It was the standard run down of a first day. The instructor informed the class of what was expected of us, the assignments, projects, and all of the other tasks ahead that made my fellow classmates groan with anticipation. I sat with my chin in the palm of my hand, staring out the window toward the sky. I was glad I picked a seat so close to the view, it was mesmerizing. However, there was a nagging feeling that permeated through my being as I sat in that classroom. I couldn't help but feel the perpetual sense that someone was watching me, burning a hole in the back of my head with an intense stare. And honestly, in that moment, I didn't mind that at all. The sky did more than enough to take my attention away.


	2. 2

Our footsteps echoed throughout the empty hallway.

"So what's your name?" he asked me.

I noticed an accent within his words but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

"You know, it's common courtesy to say one's name before asking for the name of another," I watched his expression change, "just kidding. My name's Ariel."

We walked in silence for a few steps.

"So what's yours?" I asked.

"Michael," he replied.

"I like that name," I said, "It's pretty."

We finally made it to room 23. I peeked through the glass, no one was there yet. 

"I think we're the only ones in the building," I said to him. 

"It appears so."

I leaned against the wall. Maybe coming early wasn't such a good idea. I hated the idea of being idle. He followed in my example and leaned by me. We made small talk until the teacher finally arrived. I decided to sit in the back of the room. Michael took the seat next to me. I noticed he had an eyebrow piercing.

The teacher walked by and passed the syllabus to us. We sat in silence as people began to filter in. Before we knew it, the bell rang and my Junior year had officially started. The teacher spoke. His voice was so monotone. I heard him mention something about atoms as we were all passed a print out of the periodic table. Michael passed me a note.

"Sleepy?" was scribbled messily onto it.

"Yeah," I wrote back and passed it.

It wasn't long before he wrote back.

"This is boring. :("

I giggled. "Yep. What's your next class?"

I folded the note into a paper airplane and sent it back. It drifted in the air and struck him gently in the head. I laughed and mouthed "sorry" as I watched him look at me with a bewildered expression.

"Is there a problem back there?" the teacher shouted toward us.

"No sir," Michael said. 

The teacher turned around to explain a diagram and Michael winked at me. He passed the note back.

"Guitar," he wrote with a crude drawing of an acoustic guitar.

I frowned. "I have Calc next." I passed it and watched his expression as it changed.

He wrote back "Crap. I'm gonna be lost then."

"Give me your schedule."

He passed the note back along with another folded paper. I opened it up and looked through. He had guitar for second, Spanish for third, and Government for his final period. I wrote out directions for each on the back of his schedule paper. I was even nice enough to write directions to the cafeteria. I folded and passed his schedule to him. I took the note and scribbled "You're welcome" before folding and passing it back.

He wrote back quickly, "Thanks. ;)" 

The period ended and we walked toward the door together. I waved goodbye as I walked the opposite direction to my next class. I could easily pick him out from the crowd because of his bright, blue hair. I laughed and walked. I made it to Calc and took a seat toward the front since all the seats in the back were taken.

"Ariel!?" I heard from behind me.

"Oh my god!" I said as I saw who called me.

It was Mary. She had been my best friend since middle school. We practically survived through the sheer support from each other. We hadn't seen each other since last year. Over the summer I stayed home and experienced the life of a hermit crab while she went on a trip to Europe with her family.

"So how's your summer been?" she asked as she stood up.

The boy in the seat next to me promptly rose and moved to another. This was the type of power she wielded and I envied it. The power to be so utterly charming that anyone would succumb to her. 

"I mostly just stayed at home," I said.

I began to explain the mechanics of living underneath a blanket for two consecutive weeks but just then our Calc teacher entered the room. Class began and I was close to dozing off. Michael's notes were what got me through the last class period. I prepared to send a note to Mary but I realized how stupid an idea that was when I remembered how close we were sitting to the front. Class went by painfully slow. But the bell finally tolled and we were making our way to the door. It turned out Mary and I had the next period together.

We made it to the classroom and I approached an empty seat in the back. Mary stayed behind at the front talking to a boy. I had no clue who he was. Mary beckoned me towards her. Looked like I would be meeting him soon. I approached them. He looked to be just as ecstatic as she was.

"This is my boyfriend," she said, "His name's Calum."

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Nice to meet you," he replied. 

I heard an accent in his words as well. 

We seated ourselves. I sat directly behind Mary and watched as she and Calum made cute passes toward each other throughout the class period. I wanted to be happy for them, I really did, but the pessimist in me puked at the sight of romance. It was always this way. I don't remember a time in school where Mary didn't have a boyfriend. 

Class managed to fly by. That may have been attributed to the fact that the teacher was cute, as creepy as that sounds. Lunch period finally came and I decided to separate from the lovebirds to find Michael. The cafeteria was filled with more people than I expected. After a bit of searching I found him, but he already seemed to have a table of friends. 

I decided to sit alone. I didn't want to go through the trouble of finding Mary only to be a third wheel. The remainder of my day sailed by. My last period wasn't that bad despite not having anyone I knew. I walked home. The parking lot I saw that morning was now full of life with everyone trying to leave. I got home and went on the internet for a while before being called back down for dinner.

"So how was your first day, Ruby?" I asked as I chewed on a piece of meatloaf.

"It was alright, I already have homework though," she said.

"Boo hoo," I said. 

I showered and plopped onto my bed, the towel still in my hair. The first day of my Junior year was over. Nothing particularly special happened. I set my alarm and finished towel drying my hair. I lied in bed and stared at the ceiling. The moonlight illuminated a small part of my night stand. From the light I could see a tiny paper airplane that I folded out of Michael's note. I smiled and fell asleep.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So uh, want a sandwich?"

I would like to say that I had a great second day. I would like to say that things went smoothly as the first but unfortunately I would be lying. I started off waking up late and not having the opportunity to shower or do my hair. I rushed out, missing breakfast and I made it just in time for the first bell to ring. I made my way to my seat in the back looking like a complete mess. I threw on whatever I could find from my wardrobe, which today just so happened to be a tacky Ida Maria shirt that was loose and baggy, matched with a pair of faded, torn jeans. My hair was a mess. I was groggy and barely coherent. 

"Are you okay?" I hear Michael whisper to me.

I turn to him, blowing a loose strand of hair from my face. "Not at all," I respond.

Class begins with the monotone-voiced teacher continuing his lecture on atoms from the day before. I jot down a few notes as a folded piece of paper lands on my desk.

"Who's that on your shirt?" the message reads.

I write back, "Ida Maria."

I adore her music. It's what got me through a miserable existence for a long time with middle school and my parents' divorce. But I would never be bold enough to wear her merch in public, especially this particular shirt which had the words "I like you so much better when you're naked" plastered over a portrait of the singer. She was Norwegian so I had to go through a hefty amount of trouble getting this particular shirt. The note lands back on my desk.

"Who's that?"

"A singer I was into." I toss it.

I owned all of her records, and I used to play them whenever I felt down. I don't listen to her much anymore, I guess I grew out of that phase.

"Was?" the note returns.

"Yeah, I don't listen to her much anymore." I throw it, aiming for his hand this time.

I try my best to follow along with the what the boring teacher spewed out of his mouth but it was clear I had fallen far behind because the slide we were now on looked completely unrelated to what I remember he was discussing.

The note hits my shoulder and lands on top of my notebook.

"Who do you listen to now?"

I had to think about that. I guess I didn't really listen to much of anything anymore. I never voluntarily sought for music to listen to. The only time I ever listened to music was on car rides with mom or in public places. Music used to be such a large part of my life, but that didn't seem to be the case anymore. I began to think of my reply but I was caught off guard by the ringing of the bell. Class was over already?

I rose from my seat and gathered up my things.

"Hey, do you wanna have lunch together today?" I heard Michael say from behind me.

"Sure," I said.

We separated in the hall just like yesterday. This time I stood there until that blue head of hair disappeared around a corner. I went to second period in a good mood. I took the same seat I had the day before and waited for Mary to take the empty seat next to me. She never did. I watched her walk in, glare at me, then take a seat on the other side of the room. I thought it was strange but thought nothing of it, but she would most likely get over it soon. She was always the dramatic type.

Calc was pretty easy to understand today except for a few concepts I found difficult to wrap my head around. I'm sure I'd get it once I had the opportunity to think it through at home. Time flew by and soon enough the bell for third went off. I walked to History alone and took a seat in the back. With her in her current state, I'm sure Mary wouldn't want me around.

I watched as she took a seat next to Calum at the front. She didn't bother to glare at me this time, which I took as a good sign. The class began and I felt my heart flutter. The teacher looked particularly cute today as he wore an outfit that complemented his fit physique. We took notes on a presentation he had prepared on the colonies and the early beginnings of America. Class flew by like a breeze and lunch period finally came.

At this point one would assume that my day went pretty smoothly. Unfortunately for me, this is where things took a turn for the worst. I got my lunch from the line and searched for Michael. I found him sitting alone at a table. He didn't have his friends around this time. I walked toward him. Suddenly, I felt my weight shift forward as I hit the ground, hard. I landed on top of my tray, the contents of it spreading all across my shirt and face.

"Oops," I heard, followed by a chorus of laughter. I rose slowly trying to bring myself to my feet. Food completely covered the front of my shirt. Sauce and beans from my burrito were strewn in my hair. My arms were wet with a combination of soup and milk. 

"Hey, at least that grotesque shirt of yours is covered now," I heard a voice behind me say, "I did you favor."

I turned to find the source. The voice came from a girl my age. She was dressed in an outfit consisting of a pink sweater and an accompanying skirt. Blonde hair that was held back by a headband fell passed her shoulders. Her Mary-Janes shined brightly under the fluorescent cafeteria lights. She was seated atop of a table, surrounded by similarly dressed girls. They looked like they had come straight out of a 60s film. I didn't say a word. I walked up toward her, hand balled into a fist and punched her square in the face. The chorus of laughter quickly ceased. I was quickly escorted forcefully out by school security and hauled to the principal's office. From here, my mother was called and I was sent home. The ride home was silent except for a simple statement that sealed my fate.

"You're suspended for the rest of the week," I heard her say. 

Once home, I quickly went to my room and prepared to shower. I took my phone out of my pocket. It was one-thirty. There would only be about thirty minutes left of school. I was going to be missing the rest of the first week. I wish I could say I was upset at that, but honestly, I was satisfied that I punched the girl. I didn't even know her, but she had what she got coming.

I showered off the grime and ran my fingers through my hair to get the bits of food out. I went downstairs to prepare a meal for when Ruby would be coming home. Mom had to go back to work. Her shift wouldn't end until six tonight so it was my job to prepare dinner too.

"I'm home!" I heard Ruby say as she entered through the front door. I set a PB&J sandwich on the table for her and made one for myself as well. 

"How was your day at school?" I asked her. 

"It was great! I made a ton of friends today," she said, "What about yours?"

"Well, I'm suspended for the rest of the week." I chew my sandwich.

"What! No way! Why?"

"I punched a girl."

She stopped chewing and looked at me in silence.

"She had it coming," I said.

We finished up and I immediately started preparing dinner. It was about four o' clock now. The house was quiet except for the sound of the television from the living room. Ruby liked to watch TV while she did her homework.

I decided to make pork chops. By five the meat was done. I decided to make mashed potatoes to go with the meal. 

"Ruby! You hungry yet!?" 

"Yeah, but I'm gonna wait until mom gets home before I eat!"

This was typical of her. She always put others before herself. I admired that about her. I decided to wait too. I put the food into the fridge and killed time by going online. Mary decided to bombard me with text messages. Apparently her concern for me overshadowed whatever made her upset. I told her my story and went back down to set the table.

Just as I had finished, mom entered through the door. 

"Ruby! Dinner!" 

I ate silently. I couldn't tell if my mother was upset with me. She and Ruby made small talk. I washed up after dinner and went upstairs to get dressed for bed. The moon looked particularly huge tonight. I read once that large or full moons led to higher crime rates, but I couldn't really put much trust into that. I hopped into bed with a book and began to doze off. Just then, I heard something a thud against my window. I thought nothing of it and continued reading. Then I heard another. Followed by another one. I turned my main lamp on and lifted the window frame open. From my yard I saw a figure. They waved and I felt a bit of panic until, under the moonlight I saw a shade of blue.

It was Michael.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mom's spaghetti.

I could see his eyes shine as brightly as his hair in the bright moonlight. I motioned for him to wait as I shut my window and quickly went through my closet for something to wear. I pulled out a black hoodie and matching black sweats. I slipped on socks and put on my sneakers. I tip-toed through the hall and down the stairs. I finally got to the front door and took a deep breath. What was I going to say to him? How did he even know where I lived? I stepped outside and carefully closed the door behind me. He sat on my lawn gazing up at the moon. I prayed that the sprinklers wouldn't turn on.

"Hi," I said.

I approached and took a seat next to him on the grass. He remained staring at the moon.

"Hi," he said.

We were silent for a while as we both stared at the sky. I was lucky and unlucky to live in a part of town that didn't have many street lights. Lucky in the sense that I could see the stars with great detail. Unlucky in the sense that at night we were blind as all hell. 

"How do you know where I live?" I said.

I looked at him. He seemed so taken by the moon. I drew in a breath to repeat the question but I was halted.

"Do you hear that?" he said.

I listened. All I could hear were the crickets. 

"The crickets?" I said.

"No, the music," he said.

We sat in silence. The crickets chirped. The wind blew. I heard nothing. 

"You're weird," I said.

He started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"You can't let me have one thing? Just one?" He rose, wiping a tear from his eye with his hand.

"What are you talking about?" I said.

"I mean, I've only known you for what? A day or two?" he continues to giggle to himself, "And not once have you let me have an advantage over you."

"What are you talking about?" I was genuinely confused.

"You know. An advantage. You always seem to have a dominant role in this 'relationship'," he air-quoted himself as he said the word.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"From the minute I met you, you led me. Literally, and figuratively. It's kind of symbolic y'know?"

"If this is some type of attempt at being poetic you're kind of failing," I said.

I rose up and brushed the grass from my pants. 

"How'd you find my house anyway?" I asked.

"I saw your mom drive you away and I followed the path until I saw the van."

"How'd you know which window was mine?"

"Lucky guess?"

I laughed. The image of my mother discovering a blue-haired boy throwing rocks at her window was too hilarious to think about. He rose up to stand. He was taller than me. My vision lined up with his chest. He was wearing a Nirvana shirt. It suddenly became hard to breathe. 

"Can I ask you a question?" he said.

I took a while to respond. I stared at the text on his shirt. What was happening to me?

"Sure." I said.

"What do you think of me?" he said.

What kind of question is that? I was at a loss for words. My heart dropped as suddenly the lights inside of my house flickered on. The front door swung open. I saw my mom dressed in a robe and house slippers. She looked furious. I turned to Michael.

"I suggest you leave, now." 

He did so. I watched as he took off running. I walked toward the door. I knew the onslaught that was awaiting me.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" My mother was furious. "Who was that boy!? What were you doing out there!?"

"He was a friend, mom," I said. I started making my way up the steps.

"A friend, Ariel, really? What kind of idiot do you take me for!?" she yells after me. "First you start fighting at school-"

"I didn't fight her, I punched her in defense." I cut her off. 

I made my way to my room. She blocked my way.

"You listen to me right now young lady, you don't talk to me that way," she said. Her finger was in my face. I rolled my eyes.

"And now you're sneaking off with some boy!?" she continued. 

"I wasn't sneaking off-"

"To hell you weren't! Dressed like that!? What were you two going to go do? Go fuck somewhere?"

That hit me like a punch to the gut. 

"Get out of my face," I said as calmly as I could.

I could feel the tears begin to well in my eyes. 

"Didn't you learn anything from your father, didn't you learn that men are nothing but dirty, awful, disgusting-"

"Shut up!" I caught her off guard. "I don't have the same shitty taste in men as you-"

She slapped me. The words I had coming were interrupted, never to be spoken. The sharp pang on the side of my face took over my entire being. No other word is said. She moved out of the way, pushing past me. I stood there, feeling the rush of pain at my cheek. I heard a door slam. From the corner of my eye, I could see a tiny pair of eyes looking at me through the dark. The door containing those eyes quietly closed. She had seen everything, I knew it. I walked into my room and closed the door behind me. I locked it. 

I made my way to my bed. I felt an ache. It started in my stomach. It moved up to my lungs. The ache shifted up my throat, choking me. I felt the ache rise up my cheeks and into my eyelids. I curled myself underneath my blankets. I stuffed my head into a pillow to stifle out the sobs. I hated sobbing. I hated the way it took over control. I hated the way it choked out your words. I hated the way the tears burned. I hate it all the way until I fell unconscious.

The morning felt like a mourning. I had cried a river into my pillow. My body ached from being so stiff. I felt like a corpse rising from the grave. I checked my phone. It was nine-thirty A.M. My mother had already gone to work. Ruby would already be in school. I made my way to the bathroom and washed my face. I brushed my teeth and took a shower. I left my towel wrapped in my hair and picked out an outfit consisting entirely of sweats. I went downstairs. My stomach was empty. On the kitchen counter I saw a plate of eggs and bacon wrapped up and left out. I took it and pulled a fork out of a drawer and began to eat. My cheek still ached a bit. By now it was merely a dulling sting. I washed up and made my way back upstairs. 

I checked my phone. Nothing. I decided to text Mary since I wouldn't have anything to do. Thirty minutes went by, no response. It was ten-thirty now. She would be on the way to third period. Calum would probably have her attention then. I turned on the television and changed it to the news channel. Apparently a young man was shot in a neighboring town. People were beginning to riot. Shots of an angry crowd yelling played. I turned the TV off. I didn't need any more negativity. I lied back onto my bed.

"The world has gone to shit," I said as I looked at my ceiling. I heard my phone vibrate. I reached for it and knocked over the paper plane on my nightstand in the process. I watched at it nosedived onto my carpet floor. Picking it up, I suddenly got an idea.

My phone flashed with a notice. Mary had texted me back.

"OMG!!! suspended in the first week what a baddie!"

I wrote back.

"I know. I know. Hey could you do me a favor?"

She wrote back quicker than I expected.

"Anything! What is it!!?!?!?!?!"

I smirked.

"Lunch period. Find a blue-haired kid. Give him my number."


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stay, stay, stay.

I began to work quickly. I applied concealer then foundation. I applied eye shadow ever so carefully. I hesitated with the eyeliner, this was the part of the whole process I dreaded most. I applied the eyeliner in small flicks. I finished one eye. I looked somewhat presentable. I did the same to the other. I finished with blush and a plum colored lipstick. I looked at myself in the mirror, satisfied. I didn't look like myself at all. This was the power of makeup. 

I went through my wardrobe. I found an old leather jacket which I paired with a Metallica shirt. I picked a pair of sleek, black jeans to go along with my ensemble. I laid the clothes out onto my bed. I still had to do my hair. My phone vibrated. I picked it up and took it with me to the bathroom. It was a text from Mary.

"Apparently Calum knows him. Weird right!? Anyway I had him send your number over to him. You're welcoooome! ;)"

I plugged the hair straightener into the outlet. If it hadn't been deduced by now, I dressed to kill. It was currently, eleven. Mom would be coming hope at four today. Ruby didn't get home until three-thirty. This gave me more than enough time to carry out my plan. With my hair done, I sprayed the do down with hairspray and exited the bathroom. I stripped myself of my sweats and looked at myself in the mirror. The underwear I was wearing wouldn't do. I went to my dresser. I picked out a matching set of black undergarments. I changed into the silk bra and panties. My reflection scared me a bit. I didn't realize how much of a difference my outfit change would have. Michael would be in for a surprise.

I slipped the jeans on. The shirt and jacket came next. To complete the look I put on a pair of black socks and black sneakers. I went to the mirror again. I was proud of myself. I looked like I came out of a KISS video, save the makeup and tongue acrobatics. My phone vibrated. It was from an unknown number. 

"You wanted me?"

I smiled. 

"Meet me at my house? Right now?"

I sent it. I turned my television on.

"What about your mom?"

"She isn't home. Won't be home for a while..."

News coverage of a forest fire displayed on screen.

"I'll be over soon. ;)"

"See you soon," I wrote.

I sat in silence. The TV continued to display shots of the forest fire which had now spread considerably. What had I done? I just invited a boy to my house. We would be alone. I admit, I found him attractive, that much is clear. But what did I intend to do with him? How far did I want to go? I walked downstairs. I peered through my curtains. He wasn't here yet. I found myself impatient. We barely knew each other. I'm sure whatever respect he had for me would be gone now. But at the same time I felt a sense of rebellion, and that I relished in. My mom assumed I would be giving it away so soon, so what harm would it do to play it out that way? Besides, I had been squeaky clean my entire high school career. No drugs. No parties. No boys. I was ready to experiment. My phone vibrated.

"Almost there."

"Come to the front door." I wrote back.

Within a few minutes, my doorbell rang. The expression on Michael's face was priceless. 

"This way."

I led him to the living room. We were seated at the couch now.

"So did I miss anything?" I asked.

I twirled a strand of hair between my fingers. 

"Not much," he said, "That girl you punched has a cast on her face."

We laughed. 

"So you're gonna be gone for the week, I heard?"

"Yeah. Apparently punching a snooty bitch's face equates to a week suspension."

I turned the television on. It was set to a nature documentary. I looked at him. Today he was wearing another Iron Maiden shirt, but this one was different from the first one I had seen. I scooted closer to him, close enough for our arms to touch. I caught him by surprise.

"What's with the hair color?" I said as I reached my hand to touch a strand of it.

"I just like to change it up," he said as he turned to face me. 

I hadn't noticed before, but his eyes were a shade of green.

"Why don't you dress this way at school?" he asked.

"What, like this?" 

I took his hand and placed it on my knee. I felt my heartbeat begin to increase in pace. His hand was so firm, so strong.

"It's a special occasion, I guess," I guided his hand up my leg and onto my thigh.

I could see his face begin to flush. I felt my cheeks heat too.

I shifted my weight forward. I placed my hands on his shoulders and positioned myself on top of him. I felt him move his hand on his own to the small of my back. My heart pounded. I could feel the adrenaline begin to pump in my veins. Our eyes were locked on each other. His shade of green suddenly became beautiful to me. 

"Do you remember what you asked me last night?" I asked. 

"Yeah." I felt his arms wrap around me as he pulled me in. I shut my eyes and placed my forehead against his. I felt his eyebrow piercing graze my skin. His embrace was warm. I was close enough to feel his heartbeat. I'm sure he was close enough to feel mine. We didn't say anything. My mind raced. I felt his chest rise and fall with every breath.

"I think you're weird," I finally said. 

I felt his body shake as he began to giggle.

"How many girls have you been with?" I said as I moved my hands into his hair, feeling the strands between my fingers.

"None," he said.

I pulled away.

"What?" I said, "You're kidding right?"

"Nope," he said as he looked up at me, "What about you? How many boys have you invited over like this?"

I blushed hard. Did I make it appear as if I'd done this before?

"None," I said looking away, "You'd be the first."

"Why'd you want me here?" he said. 

I had to think about that. I invited him over in a rush of teenage rebellion, but now what was it that I wanted?

"I don't really know," I said.

He laughed and pulled me closer. 

"You're cute," he whispered.

He let me go and rose from his seat. 

"Well, since you're all dressed up, how 'bout I take you somewhere?" He offered a hand to help me up.

"Where did you have in mind?" I said as I rose to my feet.

"Follow me."

And I did so. He led me out the door and before I knew it we were walking down my street. I hadn't been out like this since I was a child. Mary and I used to go on little adventures around the neighborhood. We would never get very far because our parents would call us back. As we walked I noticed how empty the streets were. Everybody must've been in class. We walked down the sidewalk for a while. My town wasn't particularly huge, so it wasn't long before we reached the outskirts. 

"The woods?" I said.

"Yes, and no," he said.

He looked at me and smiled. I felt him take my hand in his. I let him lead me. His hand was rough and firm but I didn't mind. We stopped suddenly. 

"Over there," he said.

I looked in the direction that he pointed. Over by a tiny clearing in the trees was a small house-like structure. He smiled at me again before leading the way. He led me inside and I found it to be more spacious than I imagined. Michael went over to a wall and opened up a box attached to it. It appeared to be a console of sorts. He flicked a switch and the hut was suddenly illuminated by a multitude of various Christmas lights. The hut was lightly furnished with a small table, chairs, and a small carpet that failed at hiding much of the decaying, wooden floor.

"What is this place?" I said.

"My hideaway," he said.

He moved the small table to the center of the room. I brought over two chairs. We sat across from each other. His hair looked particularly interesting under the Christmas lights.

"Why would you bring me here?" I said, giggling.

"Well, you said you were dressed for a special occasion," he said, "I thought showing you this place would be special."

I looked around. This place must've been ancient. I wondered how this place managed to even have power. 

"How'd you find this place?" I said.

"Well," he leaned back in his chair, "My host family is really laid back, so I would sneak out at night."

Host family? Michael must've been an exchange student. His accent made sense now.

"I started going into the woods over the summer," he continued, "And on one particular night, I found this place."

He smiled again. I could tell he was particularly fond of this place.

"Wanna play cards?" he said.

"You have cards here?"

"Yep." He walked over to a small corner of the room. In that corner was a small dresser that I hadn't noticed before. Michael returned with a tin box. Inside, were materials to play various board games. He pulled out a deck of cards from the box. We decided to play Go-Fish since it was the only game we were both familiar with.

"How many people know of this place," I said, "Do you have any threes?"

"Nope, just me," he said, "and now you."

That made my heart flutter.

"Go fish," he said with a smile.

We continued our games this way, making light banter. I noticed small things about him, and I'm sure he noticed small things about me too. I liked the way he threw his head back like a little kid when he laughed. I liked the way he looked so lost in thought whenever he was thinking. I liked the way his eyes could just be as attention catching as his hair. I didn't know what I felt for him then. All I knew was that I was happy to be in his presence. Being with him made me glad. I hoped I did the same for him. By the time we finished I had won five rounds to his lesser three. 

"You can't let me have anything," he said.

"I can let you have this," I said as I leaned in. I planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving a plum lipstick stain on his face.

I checked my phone. It was three-fifteen. Mom would be home in less than an hour. 

"I have to go," I told him.

He looked disappointed.

"So soon?" 

"My mom will kill me if she found out I snuck off," I rose out of my seat.

I helped him clean up. We placed the table and chairs back, as well as the tin box. He held my hand again and led me back to my house. People were starting to leave school now. The streets were filled with cars and kids on bikes. The walk to my house didn't take long.

"Thank you," I said looking at our intertwined hands, "For today."

He let my hands go.

"Don't mention it," he said, "Can I text you?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." 

My purple kiss mark on the side of his face made me snicker. It kind of fit with the shade of blue his hair had, well to me anyway. I wrapped my arms around him. I felt his arms around me. I broke the embrace and started heading for my door. I gave him one last wave before closing it. I walked up to my room and plopped down onto my bed. I stared at the ceiling. I had a big, stupid smile on my face. 

"Maybe the world hasn't gone to shit," I said as I heard my phone vibrate.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "'Cause good girls are bad girls that haven't been caught."
> 
> *cringe*

"So how was school?" I said.

Ruby sat across from me. She chewed on her PB&J. I sat idle. We had run out of bread. I would have to tell mom to go buy more.

"It was okay," she said as she chewed, "There's this boy. I think he likes me."

I went to find a Post-It in a drawer.

"Do you like him?" I said.

"I don't know. I mean I guess he's kind of cute. But it's like, I literally just started school and I don't want to be all over someone I just met, y'know."

"Totally," I said. 

I fished a Post-It stack from the drawer as well as a pen. I scrawled a message onto the note.

"Out of bread. Go grocery shopping."

I stuck it onto the fridge. I walked back upstairs and locked myself in my room. I remembered the fight I had with my mother just the night before. I remember the pain from the encounter. But what I remembered most were the tiny eyes that had the seen the ordeal. I didn't want Ruby to ever go through what I did. I never wanted her to fight, to struggle. I never wanted her to hope for something with a soul-crushing belief that things would get better. I wanted her to never be in a dark place like I had been when I was her age. My phone vibrated. It was Michael.

";P" the message wrote.

"Hi." I wrote back.

I turned the TV on and lied back to stare at my ceiling. Apparently the forest fire proved to be more of a nuisance as it continued to burn through the forest displayed on screen. I wondered of the families and animals evacuating because of the blaze. I sat up to watch. The fire spread and licked up everything in its way into an inferno. Maybe it was because I wasn't affected. Maybe it was because I wasn't directly there. But the flames looked dazzling, and I thought "how could something so beautiful be so destructive?" My phone vibrated again.

"What are you up to?" he wrote.

"Having an existential crisis. You?" I replied.

I began to change into different clothes. I realized Ruby had seen me dressed this way the entire time she had been home. I didn't have to worry about that though. I trusted her and she trusted me. I stripped myself of my jeans and jacket just as Michael's words light up my phone.

"Crisis? Do tell."

I stripped off my shirt, leaving me in just my underwear. I took the phone with me as I went into the bathroom.  
"I'm thinking of fire. It's beautiful. It can bring life and warmth. But it can also consume and damage. If you've ever seen a forest fire you can see how destructive it is, but not once does it stop becoming beautiful. I don't know. I guess I just feel like beautiful things can cause destruction," I wrote.

I began to wash my face. The message sent made me feel uncomfortable.

"Sorry if that was weird," I wrote quickly.

The makeup was a bitch to wash off. I caught glimpses of myself in the mirror in between splashes of water. I watched as the makeup ran. My eyeliner and mascara bled and led black streaks of color down my face. I looked like a mess. My phone vibrated.

"Remind me to stay away from you. I don't want to be destroyed," he wrote.

The rest of the week was a blur. I spent a majority of it in bed watching the news. I was occasionally bombarded with multiple texts by Mary. I had missed our school's "Club Rush". She had signed me up for clubs that she thought I'd be interested in. I thanked her. If anyone were to do that for me I'm glad it was Mary. Sometimes she knew me better than I knew myself. 

I also messaged Michael quite often. He was one of those people who spoke exactly how they wrote. From his texts I could imagine just where he paused and where he laughed. We didn't talk much of anything important. He filled me in on Ms. Cast-Nose, a name he creatively came up with, often. Fast forward to Sunday and I found myself to be texting him constantly. Even though I hadn't seen him since that day he took me to his hideaway, I never felt like we were apart. 

"So you'll be coming to school tomorrow then?" he wrote.

"Yeah. Why? Have you missed me?"

"Not at all. ;)"

I went down for dinner. Mom didn't work on the weekends. She had the time to buy bread. Our relationship mended slowly. And by mended I mean we gave each other the cold shoulder until we felt the other had completely forgotten what happened.

"How are you feeling about going back?" my mom said.

I chewed on a piece of steak. 

"I've been bored all week. I never thought I'd want to go back."

The rest of dinner went smooth. Ruby had progressed in her little relationship. She had promoted the boy to "creepy desk partner" to "friends, but-I-wouldn't-be-caught-dead-with-you-in-public" status. After dinner I went up and showered. Michael texted me. I didn't bother to look at it until I had finished and had the towel in my hair. 

"Hey, after school tomorrow, I want to show you something." 

"Are you gonna show me another secret place of yours?" 

"Well it's a place. Not much of a secret."

I looked at the text for a while. I was genuinely confused.

"Goodnight." I wrote.

"Goodnight." He wrote.

I went to sleep that night with a light head. Tomorrow would be Monday, and I would be returning. I was a lot happier than I thought I would be. I didn't know why. Maybe it was because I would finally be out of the house. I fell asleep. 

*

I woke up the next morning on time. I brushed my teeth and showered as quickly as I could. I wanted to be able to put makeup on today. I did a light job compared to when I saw Michael last. I applied concealer and foundation. I did a tiny wing on my eyeliner. To my surprise, I did it correctly on the first try. I wondered what type of misfortune would await me later in the day. The universe just doesn't grant you perfect winged eyeliner without a price. I finished with a peach color, matte lipstick. I checked my phone. It was six-thirty. I went through my wardrobe. I picked out an outfit consisting of a blue sweater and denim jeans. The socks I chose this time were white, and I decided to wear them with my gray high top shoes. I looked at myself in the mirror. I liked the way the clothes looked on me. I was a bit plain, but then again I had always been this way. My hair had grown since the last time I truly examined it. They now went down to my shoulder blades. I took a strand of my hair. It was just a boring, dark blonde. I had virgin hair; it was never dyed. Maybe Michael could give me a few pointers in that department. I giggled at the thought. 

I went downstairs and greeted my mom. 

"Heading out early?" she said.

"Yeah." I said.

I took a piece of toast from a plate. 

"See you tonight," I said as I hugged her goodbye.

It had been almost a week since our confrontation. There were many ways to solve a conflict. I guess silence was just my mother and I's way of coping. Lord knows we were never the expressive type. The walk to school didn't take long. The parking lot and hallway were empty when I got there, just like the first day. I went to my locker. The contents inside had gone a week without being touched. A thin layer of dust developed on some of my binders. I looked toward the empty white board that stuck to the inside of my locker door. I took the red dry erase marker and made an attempt at drawing a flame. It ended up looking like some squashed tomato.

"Hey there," I heard from behind me.

It was Michael. 

"Hi," I said as I turned around.

"It's kind of weird not seeing you in a leather get-up," he said.

He was wearing a shirt from a band that I wasn't familiar with. But that's not what I noticed first. What caught my eyes was his hair. It was a different color. Instead of the shade of blue that I was beginning to associate him with, his hair was now a shade of crimson red.

"Wow," I said.

"What?"

"Your hair," I said as I reached to take a strand into my fingers.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I was inspired."

We walked to our class together. I felt his hand brush against mine. Why didn't he hold it? Why was I worried about it? I felt conflicted.

"You alright, you've been staring into space," he said.

"Oh sorry," I said, "I guess I'm just a bit tired.

We made small talk until class started. We took our seats in the back and passed notes throughout the period. It was only the first week that I missed so I didn't have much to catch up on. Well for this class anyway.

"Wait for me at your locker," he wrote.

The bell rang and I made my way to second period. This class was difficult. I had missed so much. The terminology being used was alien to me. I survived the period solely on the help of Mary.

"So, how'd things go with your blue friend," Mary said to me with a wink.

"Things went fine," I said, "We talked."

"Oh, I see. Trying to be coy? It's okay, you can spare me the details."

"How are you and Calum?" I said.

I watched her expression change. She scooted her face away from mine.

"We're fine," she said under her breath, "Just fine."

The bell rang and we made our way to third. She decided to take a seat with me in the back. I watched as Calum entered the room. His vision immediately locked on us. But he didn't approach. He took a seat on the other side of the room. Mary didn't even acknowledge his presence. She stared straight ahead as if he never existed. What happened between them?

The lunch bell rang. Mary and I decided to eat together.

"So what are you doing after school? I think it'd be great if I came over and we had a girl's day," she said.

"Girl's day" was a term Mary would use in her vocabulary to mean "hey-I-really-need-to-talk-to-you-about-something-that-we-can't-talk-about-at-my-house."

"I can't today," I said, "I have plans."

"Alright," she said. 

The bell rang and we both rose to return our trays.

"Text me," she said.

We separated and I watched as she disappeared into the crowd of people in the hall. My last period wasn't interesting. The teacher was kind enough to give me a packet of work I had missed and I managed to obtain notes from a person sitting by me. All was well. My heart raced as I saw the clock. Class was about to end. I began to wonder where Michael would take me. But I was more excited at the thought of just being with him. It isn't strange to be excited to see a friend, right?

The bell rang and I waited by my locker as he instructed.

I watched as people walked by. I stood there waiting. What could've been taking him so long? Had he forgotten? The hall cleared out as everyone made it out of the building. I shared the hallway with the janitor who was giving me the creeps. He had a glass eye that seemed to catch you in its gaze.

Just as I had begun to lose hope, Michael appeared. 

"Ready to go?" he said.

He took my hand. His touch was warm.

"Yes," I said.

He led me and I followed. We walked a path that I wasn't familiar with. You'd think that I'd be scared. You'd think that I would be questioning my safety as a boy I barely knew led me to a place I didn't know. But with him I felt safe.

"This is it," I said, "This is the advantage you have."

He looked at me and smiled.


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I ran out of bleach.

We walked. I could see that we were heading for the parking lot. As we approached it, Michael began to search for something in his pocket with his other hand. After a while, he finally got what he was searching for, car keys.

"You're driving?" I said.

"Yep," he said.

I looked around a lot. There were still plenty of cars around. He led to me to a baby blue Volkswagen that was a bit rusted. I giggled.

"What?" he said.

"Nothing, I just didn't think you'd be the type who would drive one."

I watched his expression change.

"It's cute," I patted his shoulder, "I like it."

His smile returned and he opened the passenger side door for me. 

"Thank you," I said as he helped me climb in. He closed the door and made his way to driver's side. The interior of the Volkswagen had a distinct smell that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was a floral scent. Maybe incense?

"The radio only dials to one station," he said as he climbed in, "I hope you like classical."

I didn't have much of an interest in classical, but since it was the only option I didn't mind. He turned the key into the ignition and the car came to life with the rumblings and vibrations of a working engine. He pulled out of the lot and I couldn't help but notice how focused he looked as he drove. I had only ever been in a car with my mother, so I wasn't used to being in a car operated by a teenage boy. His stops were harsh. He made turns that jolted the car so far I thought we would topple. Riding in a car with Michael was similar to riding on a roller coaster. I admit, I was frightened to death.

"So," he said as we came to a stop at a red light, "What do you like to do for fun?"

I watched as he tapped his fingers to an imaginary beat. His rhythm was juxtaposed by the percussion-less Bach piece playing through the car speakers.

"Well, I like to write." I said.

"Ooh! Write what?" 

He stepped on the gas and the vehicle propelled forward. I was startled. The seatbelt tugged me back into my seat as my mind caught up with the impact.

"Well," I said as I brushed a strand of hair from my face, "I like to write poems. And occasionally songs."

"Songs?" he said, "I didn't read you as that type of girl."

"What type of girl?"

"Musical," he grinned, "I mean the only thing I know about you is that you like that weird chick on your shirt. Oh, and you like to sometimes make these existential rants about life and the universe."

I looked toward the passenger side window. There were people my age on the sidewalk. I didn't know any of them.

"It's a good thing, I promise," he said, "You're a thinker."

"Thanks," I said. 

I'm sure he meant well, but I didn't like to be categorized. At this point, we were downtown. This part of town was usually packed during the weekend, but it being a school night the streets were relatively empty.

"What about you?" I said, "What do you do for fun?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

We stopped at a stop sign.

"If I tell you, do you promise not to tell anyone else?" he said.

"Sure," I said.

He bolted the car forward. My heart jumps. I had a feeling I would never get used to that.

"I'm in a band," he said.

"Why would you be embarrassed about that?"

"It's not that I'm embarrassed," he said, "It's just that I'd rather keep my hobbies to myself."

I checked my phone. It was about to be three-forty. Ruby would be home now.

"That's actually where I wanted to take you today," he said, "I wanted to play something for you."

"With your band?"

"Yeah."

I watched his cheeks flush. 

"We're almost there," he said.

The rest of the drive was short and silent. He pulled into a parking lot next to an adjacent building called "The Mosh". I had never been here before. There were rock bands that would book gigs to perform there, but I was never interested enough to go to one. 

"Off we go," he said as he opened my door for me.

Outside, it was a bit chilly. Autumn was approaching and temperatures were beginning to drop earlier in the day. Despite the sweater I wore I was still a bit cold. I shivered.

"You alright?" he said.

"Yeah," I said, "Just a bit cold."

Before I could say anything else, his arm was around me. He pulled me in. I was surprised at how warm his body was. We walked with him guiding me. My cheeks were flushed. Earlier today I was flustered over him not holding my hand. Now he was holding me close. What was I feeling? What did I want? We approached the entrance of the building. The exterior was painted a plain, solid black with a neon-pink sign displaying "The Mosh". He opened the door and let me in. I saw a large room with wooden floors and various cords spread throughout. At the far end was a stage with accompanying lights. Speakers could be seen placed on the stage, as well as hanging high above on the ceiling. There were stairs that led to a higher level which allowed the shows to be seen from a higher vantage point. Show goers weren't assigned to any specific place as shows here were usually general admission. On the stage I could see a drum set, both an electric and acoustic guitar, and a bass guitar. The lights were relatively dim. There was a faint smell of cigarettes.

"Wow," I said. 

"You like it?" he said.

He squeezed me against his body, causing his warmth to wrap around me. I looked up at him. His eyes were focused on the stage. This seemed like another place he was fond of.

"I'll call the boys out," he let me go. His warmth suddenly vanished from me.

"Aye mates!" he shouted. 

From behind the back curtain of the stage, two boys appeared. They looked to be around Michael's age and they both had the relatively same shade of blonde hair. They both wore band tees and jeans. One of them had a lip piercing. The other had torn the sleeves off of his T-shirt, exposing his bicep muscles. His blonde hair was held back by a bandana.

"C'mere," Michael beckoned me toward him, "I'll introduce you."

I stood by Michael as the boys hopped from the stage and approached. 

"Guys, this is Ariel. She's the girl I've been talking about."

He spoke about me? The two boys looked amused.

"Hello," I said.

"Ariel, this is Luke," he said to the boy with the lip piercing. 

"Nice to meet you," Luke said. He had an accent as well.

"That's Ashton," Michael said to the other. He stuck his hand out to give me a hand shake. I took it. His grip was strong and firm. 

"Don't be shy," Ashton said. His accent was particularly thick.

"Hey, do you know where Calum is?" Michael said.

Calum? It couldn't be Mary's Calum could it? I saw him approach from the curtain with multiple boxes of pizza in hand.

"Could one of you be kind enough to lend me a hand?" he said.

We set up a table and chairs and sat around in a circle. Within seconds the boxes were open and the aroma of the food replaced the scent of cigarettes.

"So you two already knew each other?" Ashton said as he chewed.

"Yeah," Calum said, "We have History together, right?"

"Yeah," I said as I nibbled on my slice.

I didn't have to think much to see how close Michael was to these boys. The way they spoke to each other was so natural, so brotherly. 

"Before it gets late, we should perform the thing we prepared for her," Michael said as he rose.

They all agreed in a chatter of "yups", "yesses", and "alrights". I giggled. They all took the stage and went to their respective instruments. Ashton headed for the drum set. That explained his biceps. He must've been a wicked drum player. Calum took bass and stood to the left of Luke who took center. Michael, positioned on Luke's right, slung his acoustic guitar over his shoulder. Luke picked up the electric. They all had mics placed nearby. I was curious as to what they would be performing. I had never seen a band live before. Ashton hit his drumsticks together to start the rhythm. 

To my surprise, the drum section was light and mellow. Luke played a riff on the electric. The opening chords sounded familiar to me for some reason. My heart began to race.

Michael started a gentle strum pattern on his guitar while Calum began to play supporting chords on the bass.

Michael took a breath in sang the beginning lines:

"Pour myself a cup of coffee full of sober nights, 'cause nicotine and coffee are my friends in this fight."

His voice was deep and boyish. I sensed a tremble in his voice as he sang. Instantly, I recalled the song. I felt tears well up in my eyes. He chose this song out of all the songs in the universe to play to me? I made an effort to not cry. I refused to cry. I couldn't cry. Not here.

Michael continued: 

"And you, you keep me warm  
You, you keep me warm."

Something about him was different when he played. The look of focus he had whenever he was in deep thought was absent on his face. Doing this just came to him, he didn't have to think. I felt my heart sink. The wetness on my cheeks let me know that I broke the promise I made to myself. The other boys joined in singing and soon enough they were all singing in unison. 

By the end I had been reduced to tears. Michael slung off his guitar and jumped from the stage in a rush to me. I clutched myself. The sobbing made it hard to breathe.

"Ariel!? What's wrong?" he said to me. 

"T-take... me... home," I managed to force through my choked sobs, "...please."

Without another word Michael escorted me to his car. I cried all the way home. My attempts at stifling my sobs with the sleeves of my sweater did nothing to help. I was mortified. Michael parked his Volkswagen in my driveway and led me to my front door. He rang the doorbell and almost immediately Ruby answered. I didn't speak. My legs moved on their own and led me to my room. I locked the door behind me and went to my bed. I sank under the covers. I had bursts of calm and bursts of agonizing hysterics where sobs choked the air out of me.

I heard my mother start to pound at my door. 

"Ariel!? What's wrong!?" she shouted.

I placed a pillow over my head to block her out. Memories began to resurface. All the deep, dark moments I had locked away in my mind came all at once. I never thought I would be back to this place. I never thought that something as stupid as a song would break me down. If there was anything I hated in the world it would be crying. The act of crying was the most exhausting thing I could think of it. 

After a few minutes, I was completely calm. I was back to feeling nothing. Moments when I became like this were the moments when I was most frightened. I heard my mother bang on the door once again. I rose from my sheets. My body felt aged and decayed. I opened the door. From the look on my mother's face I could tell that she hadn't expected me to do that.

"Oh honey," she said as she took me into her arms.

I didn't protest. I wrapped my arms around her too. She stroked my hair in an attempt to calm me but I was already calm. I was back to feeling everything, then all at once feeling nothing at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the typos. I abhor proofreading.


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: domestic violence.

I woke up with my pillows dry. I was done crying. The morning was solemn and quiet. I checked my phone. It was only five-thirty. I didn't have to be at school for a while. I rose out of bed. To my surprise I wasn't groggy. I had passed out early last night, so I guess I got a full night's rest. I hopped into my shower. The hot water soothed me down to the bones. I had completely embarrassed myself. This was all I could think about. Michael opened up and performed for me and I blew it. I wonder what his friends thought of me. I broke down and I felt awful about it. I decided to shake the thought out of my head. Today was a new day. I had the opportunity to make this one better and believe me, I was going to take it.

I reached for my shampoo and squeezed a dollop onto my hand. Lather rinse repeat. Lather rinse repeat. I began to sing a tune to myself, an action I hadn't done in ages. People usually sang in the shower, and I used to be one of them. I stopped singing in the shower. I stopped singing altogether. That is until now. The memories that came to me last night reminded me of why I gave up singing and music. The memories that filled me with dread also gave me a sense of peace. Maybe it was because of the shower. Or maybe it was the scent of my shampoo, but I felt a sense of vigor. The memories that haunted me were still in my heart, but the terror was no longer so great. I needed to explain myself to Michael, not only for his sake, but for mine.

I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel. I wiped the steam residue off of the mirror and looked at my reflection. I began to brush my teeth and wash my face. Morning had never felt this conscious before. Was this what it felt like to have a clear mind? I dried myself and wrapped my hair in the towel. I went to my closet and started to pick out my clothes. I decided to go with a plain white T-shirt and a navy hoodie. I pulled out some jeans and a pair of white socks that I would wear with my black sneakers. When my hair was dried, I did my hair into a bun that sat atop my head. I looked older with my hair this way. I went back to my bathroom mirror and started applying concealer and foundation. I put on only a bit of eyeliner and decided I was done. My phone chimed. I walked back to my room to pick it up. I had received a text from Mary.

"Oh. Forgot to tell you. Club meeting today!!!"

Usually I would wonder why on Earth she decided to text me so early, but at this point I was in too good of a mood to care.

"Alright, for which club?" I wrote back.

I headed downstairs. It was only six-ten. Mom hadn't woken up yet. I went through our cupboard. It turned out we had packets of tea. I also managed to find a few crackers. I went to another one of our cupboards and pulled out a kettle, which I promptly filled with water before setting it on the stove to boil. As I waited, Mary texted back.

"Drama!!! We're gonna be actors!" 

The thought of that made my stomach tumble. I wasn't a fan of being in front of people much less acting. But I was in an optimistic mood so I didn't let it get to me. 

"Sounds exciting," I typed.

I heard the tea kettle boil and finished the preparations for my tea. I sat at the table with a cup and a tray of biscuits. I decided to text Michael.

"Hey, if you can, do you think you can meet me before school again? I wanted to talk."

I chewed on a biscuit. He replied quicker than I expected.

"I'm already here. There's no one around."

Strange. What could he possibly be doing there so early? It wasn't even six-thirty yet.

"I'm heading there right now," I replied. I didn't want to keep him waiting. 

I prepared my things to leave just as my mother descended from the steps wearing her morning robe and house slippers.

"Honey," she said in her morning, groggy voice, "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better," I replied with a smile, "I'm gonna be heading out now. I made some tea if you and Ruby want some."

"Thank you. Have fun at school."

"I will," I said.

I kissed her on the cheek and went on my way. The streets were empty this morning. Most students didn't get up at this time, and if they did they certainly wouldn't want to spend the morning heading for school so early. Once at the building, I entered to find Michael standing by his locker. He looked down at his phone. He seemed preoccupied.

"Why are you here so early?" I said with a smile.

"Hi," he said, looking up. His usual smile was absent from his face.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No. Nothing. Everything's fine," he said. He spoke so softly that I could barely hear his words.

I could tell something was wrong but I didn't want to pry. If he wanted to talk, he would talk. I wasn't going to force him.

"Well, I owe you an apology," I said, "I didn't mean to freak out like that. That song just brought memories."

"I'm sorry if I brought up the past," he said approaching me.

"No, it's okay. I needed to face my demons sooner or later," I said as I took a step toward him, "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about.

"I'm listening," he said.

"It starts when I'm a lot younger," I began, "I was about twelve. I had just started singing classes and I really started getting into music. I had a guitar and I was learning and everything."

I took a breath.

"It got worse from there," I said, "My parents' marriage started to have a fall out."

I looked down. The courage I had walked in with had suddenly vanished. 

I continued: "My mom won custody of me and my little sister. My dad was devastated. He started drinking."

I felt the sting of tears begin. I pushed myself to continue. My body began to tremble.

"I mean, he still visited. But it wasn't the same y'know?" I looked up at him. His eyes were clear, focused.

"One day he came to visit. But he was drunk. I wasn't home at the time. I was at voice lessons."

I felt my voice tremble.

"I came home that day," I said, "And when I got there..."

I felt the sobs begin and the tears began to flow. Michael wrapped his arms around me. I felt his warmth and I smelled nothing but his scent. But that didn't stop me from trembling.

"He was hitting her Michael," I said, "He had her by the hair and he was hitting her."

I looked up to see his eyes widen.

"As soon as he saw me he started to leave. I remember rushing to her and trying to help her. I remember screaming at my father how much I hated him. I remember telling him how I never wanted to see him again."

I buried my face in the fabric of Michael's shirt to stifle out the sobs.

"He stopped to look at me. And for a minute, he looked pained. Like my words had sobered him for just a split second."

I felt Michael take my hand in his.

"He left after that. I heard his car leave our driveway. I ran to the kitchen and dialed nine-one-one. The police and paramedics came soon after. Ruby and I spent that night at the hospital waiting for mom to wake up. I was so scared. So so scared Michael. I thought she was gonna die. I thought my mom was gonna die!"

I began to sob into his shirt. He tried calming me by rubbing my shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay," he said as he tried to shush my sobs, "I'm here. I'm here." 

He walked me to the bathroom so I could make myself look presentable again. From the mirror, I could see that the eyeliner I had done was ruined. How stupid was I to tell him? I thought by now I would be over it, but here I was trembling in the mirror. What I went through frightened me for years. But I thought by now I would've been stronger. I thought by now I would be able to handle telling someone. My life was happier. I had never seen Ruby and mom so secure, so joyful. I rolled a few paper towels out from the dispenser. I wet them with the sink and wiped away the eyeliner that was strewn down my face. I managed to get it all off. But my eyes and face were still red from crying. I walked back out to find Michael waiting for me. I walked up to him and hugged him again.

"I'm sorry," I said to him, "I didn't plan to break down a second time."

"It's okay," he wrapped his arms around me and stroked my hair.

He pulled away to have eye contact with me. I had left black marks on his band tee with my eyeliner.

"I ruined your shirt," I said.

"No. It's alright," he looked down at it, "I think it looks kind of cool. The mark kind of looks like a bat or something."

I laughed and playfully jabbed his arm.

"Thank you for listening," I said.

"No problem," he said as he pulled me in again, flooding me with his warmth and smell, "If you ever need someone to talk to, come to me. At any time."

I looked up to catch his gaze.

"I don't know that you've been through," he said, "But what from what you told me, you're the bravest person I know."

His eyes captured all of my attention. I got lost in the green of them.

"What do you say we blow school off for the day? Just spend the day elsewhere? Just you and me?"

My gaze stayed locked with his. I felt no fear like I did with him before. My heart stayed at its normal pace. I was calm.

"Yeah," I said, "I'd like that."

He led me down the hall. It was still too early for anyone to show up. In an instant we were in the lot then his Volkswagen. 

In a book I once read, it was written that the Buddhists say if you meet someone and if your heart pounds, if your hands shake, or if your knees go weak, the person you met is not "the one". They said that when you meet your soulmate you'll feel calm. No anxiety. No agitation. I can't call what I have with Michael love and I don't know if I ever will. But all I knew then was that he made me laugh when I had felt so vulnerable and broken. And all I felt as he had a hand on the steering and the other with mine was warmth. And the only thing I wanted in the world right then and there was for that moment to never, ever end.


	9. 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To my dearest friend, who probably got more excited for this chapter than I ever could.

His Volkswagen smelled like air freshener. I rolled the windows down and let my hand drift through the air, letting it glide through between my fingertips. The sounds of classical music were playing through the car speakers. I was sure it was either Beethoven or Bach but I was never one to identify music by ear.

"So where are we headed first?" I asked Michael.

He had that focused looked on his face again. His red hair made him look older, more mature if that was possible. He still drove like a maniac though, but I felt like I was getting somewhat used to that.

"Ice cream?"

I guess it was still considered Summer. I mean, we'd only been in school for a week. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded ice cream in Winter either.

"That sounds nice."

I reached over from behind my seat and pulled my bag to my lap. I opened it up via the zipper and fished through it for my phone and wallet. The streets were empty of people my age. School would be over in twenty minutes. 

"Uh, do you know of any ice cream shops around here?"

I giggled.

"You were gonna take me somewhere you didn't know?"

I heard him laugh nervously.

"Turn left there," I pointed at the stop light.

He did so.

"Should be at the end of this block," I said.

He parked on the sidewalk and helped me out. I stepped down and admired the sign.

"Moo Moo's" the sign read. It was one of those old, hand-painted signs that probably existed well back into the fifties. The sign was written in red typography over a skillfully made art piece of a winking cow I assumed was named Moo Moo. I hadn't been here recently. My mother used to take Ruby and I here weekly after Ruby's soccer practices. I stopped tagging along.

Michael led me in and I thanked him as he held the door for me. I walked in and greeted Mel, the long-time owner who had inherited the shop after his father died. I could see shades of gray developing in his locks.

"It's been a while," he said as he looked at me. 

"I guess it has," I said as I took a seat at the counter.

The place had an old, malt-shop feel. I felt that I should've been wearing a poodle dress and a high pony. I looked to Michael. Somehow I felt a leather jacket would've suited him.

"Who's your friend?" Mel asked me as he wiped the counter down.

"Michael," he answered, holding his hand out for a shake.

"Nice to meet you Michael," Mel said, taking his hand, "You can call me Mel."

Michael took the seat next to me and looked around in wonder. He stared all around at the red, vintage seat accents, the checkered tile floor, but most intently at the jukebox that sat across the walkway from us.

"So what could I get you two love birds?" Mel asked.

I blushed. "We aren't together, just friends," I assured him, "Michael's never been here before, could we maybe get a menu?"

Mel reached from below the counter and retrieved two menus for us.

"I'll wait 'till you've decided before ordering," I said.

Michael smiled. "Alright," he said.

I looked toward the old jukebox and suddenly got an idea.

"I'll be back," I said as I rose from my seat, taking my wallet with me. I walked up to the old thing. You'd think by now the lights that illuminated it from the inside would've burnt out, but from what I could see they still shined brightly. I put a few dimes in and looked through the selection. I picked my favorites and walked back to my seat. 

"It actually works?" Michael asked me.

"Yeah, believe it or not," I said, "So have you decided?"

He nodded. I called for Mel.

"I'll have the strawberry sundae," I said, looking to Michael.

"I'll have the same," he said.

Mel nodded and took the menus from us before disappearing again into the back.

We sat and didn't speak a word. The place was filled with the music from the jukebox. It was an old, Frankie Avalon song from the sixties. 

"Man, being alive back then must've been great," Michael said.

"Yeah, if you were white," I replied.

He looked at me with a perplexed expression. Mel returned our orders. He set the sundae glasses down in front of us. We thanked Mel before he went off and disappeared again. I giggled.

"What?" Michael said.

"Your hair," I laughed, "It's the same color as the syrup."

He looked toward his sundae and he began to laugh too. The sundaes were sweet and cold. The novelty cherry that sat atop the heap of ice cream and syrup was a nice touch. 

"So how's your day been?" I asked as I took a spoonful of sundae.

"It was kind of heavy honestly," he said as he leaned toward me, "But now it's great."

"You're a flirt," I said.

"Don't act like you don't like it."

I turned my attention back to my sundae. The song ended and another Frankie Avalon one began. Suddenly, I felt the warmth of another body as Michael wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into an embrace. He began to sway.

"What are you doing?" I said.

"I like this song," he said, still swaying.

I broke the embrace and walked out from my seat. 

"Well if you like the song," I said as I fixed myself, "Dance with me."

In an instant he was on his feet. He wrapped his arms around me and began to sway again. We were offbeat and I began to laugh.

"You don't know how to dance, do you?" I said giggling.

"I guess I don't," he said.

"Well, first off we stand like this."

I took a step away from him and took one of his hands in mine. I raised our hands up to about the height of my shoulder. He had an intrigued look on his face. 

"And you, your hand goes here," I said as I guided his free hand to my side.

Even with a space between us I could feel the warmth emanating from him. I looked up to see his gaze directly meet with mine.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said with a smile, "It's nothing."

I put my free hand on his shoulder and we began to sway. The music from the jukebox was the only thing that could be heard as we danced. I rested my head against his chest and he pulled me in. I closed my eyes. 

"I love you and you'll love me,  
We'll love each other dear,  
Forever," the song went on.

Normally I could scoff. Lovey-dovey was never my thing and I had a cynical view of romance. But for some reason I couldn't understand, I was completely fine with this. I liked the song, but I had never danced to it before, much less with a boy. 

"We've found the perfect love,  
Yes a love that's yours and mine," Frankie crooned as we danced.

I felt a feeling of security I hadn't felt in what seemed like ages. The song approached its end as we stopped swaying. I looked up at him and he looked down at me, reciprocating eye contact. I wanted to say something, a thank you, a compliment on his dancing, but no words came. I merely stayed staring into his eyes.

"Hi," he said.

"Hello," I replied.

Suddenly, I heard a chorus of claps and whistles. I hadn't noticed the crowd of people that had entered the shop. Even Mel was behind the counter applauding us. I blushed profusely. In courtesy, I curtsied. Michael took the liberty of a bow. I hurriedly walked back to my seat. Our sundaes had already been completely melted. As we finished up, I pulled out my wallet. Michael attempted to stop me.

"It's fine, I got it," he said to me.

"No, it's alright," I said pulling my money out.

"Ariel," he said taking my hand, "I got this."

"Are we really going to argue over this?" I asked, amused.

"Are we?" he said with a smirk.

"Don't worry about it," Mel said as he took our sundae glasses.

"What? Are you serious?" I looked at him, bewildered.

"Yes, anything for the love birds," he replied to me with a wink.

I looked toward Michael who now had an amused expression on his face. I saw our hands which I hadn't realized were still together. I pulled my hand away and put my wallet back into my bag. I would argue with Mel, I really would, but there would be no point. Michael and I weren't a couple. I was certain that we never would be, but there was no point in staying to get my point across again. The shop was beginning to fill up with families and teenagers. School had ended not too long ago.

"Let's go," I said to Michael as I rose from my seat.

He followed and rushed ahead to open the door for me. I thanked him as a chorus of applause came again from the people inside. I curtsied again and walked through. Michael opened the Volkswagen door and let me in. As he walked around to the driver's side, I leaned over the console and unlocked his door.

"Thanks," he said as climbed in. 

We put our seatbelts on and Michael turned the key into the ignition. The vehicle was filled with the sounds of classical music.

"That was so embarrassing!" I said as I cringed in my seat.

"It wasn't that bad," Michael said, his hand draped over the steering wheel.

"It was awful!" I buried my face in my hands. 

I felt Michael's hand pat me on the back.

"You're great at dancing, that's why they clapped," he said.

I shook the thought out of my mind. There was no use thinking about it now. I'd only be torturing myself.

"So where to now?" I said with a sigh.

"I didn't have anywhere planned, did you have a place in mind?"

"I do, actually."

His focused expression turned into one of intrigue.

"The hut," I said. I saw his mouth curve into a smile.

The drive there was calm, which was a stark contrast from my previous experience in his car. He drove and we were soon at a clearing in the woods. He helped me out of the Volkswagen again and we walked to his hut. We held hands the entire way. He opened the door for me and we made our way in. The power was switched on and the Christmas lights came to life.

We sat at the table and stared directly at each other. I kind of liked having eye contact with him. His red hair looked particularly interesting under the illumination of the Christmas lights.

"So what now?" he asked.

"Well it's only half past three," I said checking my phone. 

"We could play a game or two?" he said as he rose out of his seat. 

"I'd like that," I said, smiling.

He brought the box from the corner. We decided on a game of chess. After a few minutes into the game, he spoke.

"Let's make this interesting," he said.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Let's make a bet."

"A bet?" I asked.

"Yeah, you decide what I have to do if I lose, and I'll do the same for you."

I had to think for a bit to decide what I wanted my wager to be. Then suddenly it came to me.

"Alright. If I win," I said. I saw him lean in with anticipation. "You have to dye your hair pink."

He leaned back into his seat again. 

"Pink," he breathed, "Wow. That's a good one."

I smiled, pleased with myself.

"What do you wager?" I asked.

A smirk took its place upon his lips as he spoke.

"Well, I think I have a better bet than yours," he said.

I was genuinely curious.

"Is that so?"

"Yep."

"Well what is it?" I asked.

"Ms. Ariel, if I win," he said. I was now the one leaning with anticipation. "If I win," he continued, "You give me a kiss."

I stared at him. He smiled at me. We were both silent. I felt a sensation in my core. The kind of sensation you get when you feel fear, or even strangely, excitement. My heart began to quicken in pace.

"Well?" he said, breaking the silence.

I looked down at my hands, they had begun trembling. What was happening? A kiss is just a kiss. No big deal. I gulped and looked at him before giving my reply.

"Mr. Michael," I said with a smile, "You're on."


	10. 10

The chess game seemed to be the most intense game of anything I had ever played. It seemed like neither of us could get the upper hand because just as the one of us seemed to gain an advantage, the other did the same. I would take his pawn. He would take my bishop. And in turn I would take his rook.

"You're pretty good at this," Michael said to me with a smile.

"Thanks," I said as I maneuvered my queen.

It must've been about an hour since we had started. I had stopped checking my phone long ago and I had no intention of doing that now.

"Ha," I said as I managed to take his second knight.

He grinned at me before taking his queen piece and moving it to the space of mine. I felt my heart sink as he removed the white piece that was my queen from the board. He placed it in his corresponding pile of white pieces, my pieces.

"Bet you didn't, see that coming," he said, "Check."

My king was directly in the diagonal path of his queen. I was essentially pinned down. If I continued to be careless I would be the one losing. I still had a few pawns, my bishops, my rooks, and one knight left. He still had his queen and his rooks. I maneuvered my king as he took his turn to have his queen devour another of my pawns. Michael's face developed into a devilish grin.

"Cute face," I said as I maneuvered my king again.

"Thanks, yours too," he said as he put me in check.

"You're not going to make this easy for me are you?"

"Nope," he said, still grinning.

I was beginning to think that his face was going to be permanently cemented that way had he kept that expression on.

"Do you not want to dye your hair pink?" I asked.

"Do you not want to kiss me?"

"What?" I thought to myself. Why was he so insistent on this? It was just a bet after all. I wouldn't tell him personally, but Michael could probably pull any girl he wanted for a kiss. I wasn't exactly the romantic type.

"Would you be offended if I didn't say yes?" I said.

"Just a little."

"Well, now you can be upset about this also," I said as I maneuvered my bishop to take his queen, "Check."

I was the one grinning now. I took his queen into my hand and playfully twirled it between my fingers.

The remainder of the game went quickly. It was essentially a game of cat and mouse between my pieces and his king.

"Checkmate," I said as I finally pinned his king into a corner.

"Nice," he said.

"Yep," I said.

We sat in silence for a moment. I saw his face change from a smug expression to one of disappointment. I sat there without saying a word. He did the same.

"Do I really have to dye my hair pink?" he said, looking down at his knees.

"No, I wouldn't make you do that," I said, "I'll come up with something else for you."

I winked at him. I checked my phone. It was now around four o' clock. I also had a message from Mary.

"You done yet? I really want to come over," she wrote.

"Up for another game?" Michael said as he fiddled with my white queen piece in his hands.

"Actually, I think I want to head home now," I said as I began to compile the pieces in my pile, "Good game."

We began to pack the pieces into the tin box. I noticed he wouldn't look at me. Was he embarrassed about losing? I rise from my seat and push my chair in and follow him to the corner that held the tin box. As he rose up to look at me, I kissed him on the cheek. He looked pleasantly surprised.

"There, now stop being a sour puss," I said.

He looked at me with a smile.

"You're something else you know," he said.

"Yeah, I know."

We walked back to the Volkswagen, hands intertwined. The vehicle still smelled like air freshener when we hopped in. The ignition sounded off and the car was once again filled with the sounds of classical music. He had that focused look on his face while he drove again. I leaned back into my seat and pulled my phone out.

"I'm on the way home now," I wrote back to Mary.

The sidewalks were inhabited by a good number of people as we pulled up into my driveway.

"Sweet! I'll be right over," Mary wrote.

She lived quite a ways away, but she managed to make it to my house in record times thanks to her bicycle. It wouldn't be long before she arrived. Michael walked with me to the front door.

"Thank you," I said as I looked up at him, "For today."

"Anytime."

"I still have to think of a thing for you to do since I won," I said as I playfully pointed at him.

He nodded.

We hugged and in a matter of seconds he was back in his car.

"I'll text you!" he shouted from his window as he backed out into the street.

He smiled and waved and I watched his car disappear into the distance. I made my way inside. I could smell spaghetti being cooked and I could hear the sounds of a nature documentary playing from the den.

"Mom!" I shouted as I took my shoes off and placed them on the rack.

"Ariel!?" I heard her shout from the kitchen, "Welcome home! Dinner's almost ready!"

"Thanks!" I yelled back as I walked up the steps and made my way to my room. I stripped and changed into sweats and a baggy T-shirt. I lazily attempted to pin my hair up, but gave up halfway through and just tied it into an unorganized knot atop my head. I heard the doorbell ring downstairs and quickly made my way back down.

"I got it!" I shouted as I hurried down the steps.

I opened the door to find Mary at my doorstep. She was still wearing the clothes I saw her wear at school. She walked in and gently rested her bike against the wall and removed her helmet.

"Mom! Mary's here!" I yelled out.

Mom appeared from the kitchen, apron on and cooking spoon in hand.

"Mary!" my mother said as she went to hug her, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too Ms. Langston!" she said as she took my mother into an embrace.

"Dinner will be ready in a bit," mom said.

"We're gonna head up now, if that's alright," I said.

"Yeah that's fine," she replied, "I'll let you girls know when its ready."

Once in my room, Mary took no time getting straight to the point.

"Calum is pressuring me," she said.

She began to dramatically fan herself while sobbing fake sobs. As I said, she was always the dramatic type.

"Wait," I said, "Start from the beginning."

"Well it started Saturday night," she said as she continued to fan her eyes and sob. "It started last weekend. My parents weren't home so I thought it was a good idea to invite him over. We were sitting on the couch and he started kissing at my neck, like so."

She began to poke at my neckline with her thumb. Somehow I imagine that's not really how neck kissing goes.

"And then, he got on top of me Ari! On top of me! And that's not even the worst part. He started reaching under my blouse! Could you believe it!?"

"Did you tell him to stop?" I asked as I started to get materials ready for a shower.

"Well yeah," she said as she ceased her dramatic facade.

"And did he stop?"

"Of course but-"

"Then I don't see a problem.“

I fished through my drawer for a towel. I turned to find a defeated Mary sitting on my bed in silence. I went over to her and got down on my knees. I placed my hand on her's which rested on the fabric of my comforter.

"Look, I know you're upset, but it seems to me like you just want to pick a fight or something. You invited a boy over with the premise of your parents not being home. I know it'd be a shame if I said you were asking for it, but this is the world we live in and it sucks."

She brought her head up to have eye contact with me.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she breathed.

"Is that why you were upset with him?" I asked as I rose to my feet.

She nodded.

"Well, first I'm going to take a shower and then we're going to discuss girly things like boys while we give each other mani-pedis and stuff!" I said in a mocking tone. 

*

I sat by Mary on my bed while I towel dried my hair. She seemed to be reading something but I couldn't take a peek at the title of the book; she had the cover face down against the sheets. I thought nothing of it and continued to towel dry my hair.

"Ooh, Ari! Look!" she said as she shoved the book in my face.

"Mary I can't read with the book that close."

"Oh, sorry ."

I took the book from her and surveyed the page she wanted to show me. The page was headed by the words "Alice the Cat Who Could Play Guitar Better Than Jimi Hendrix". Somehow how I was doubtful of the book's authenticity. The page described Alice's wonderful guitar playing skills, poise, and apparent bravery for stealing her owner's guitar while they went out for work. There was an illustration of a cat standing upright clutching a guitar, complete with a Hendrix-style bandana. 

"Mary what the hell is this?"

"The best thing ever."

I glared at her for a moment before we both shared a laugh. This was what I liked about being able to call Mary my best friend. We would be able to show each other the dumbest things without fear of judgement. Mom eventually called us down for dinner. We ate fairly quickly, taking no time getting back to my room. I watched the news as she used my shower. The forest fire was spreading and showed no signs of stopping.

"What's that?" I heard Mary say as she came from my bathroom, a towel in her hair.

"It's a forest fire. It's not too far from here so our news station is covering it extensively."

"What'll happen if it comes here?" she asked as she continued to dry her hair.

"We'll be evacuated I guess."

I shut the TV off and lied back on my mattress.

"So," Mary said as she poked at my sides, "I heard you've been gaming hanging around with one of the foreign kids."

"Is that so?"

"Yep."

"Care to tell me where you heard this from?"

"Nope."

I sighed. I knew Mary would eventually ask, but I hadn't prepared myself to form an alibi. I decided it would be easier to just tell the straight truth.

"Well, whoever told you isn't lying. I've been hanging out with him, yes."

Her eyes lit up like a child's upon receiving a Christmas present.

"Oh my gosh!" she said as she hopped onto the mattress, "Are you guys together? You have to tell me all of the details, you just have to."

I breathe in to reply, she interrupts me.

"Have you guys kissed yet? Oh my gosh is he a good kisser? I bet he is. Oh my god Ari tell me!"

"Well Mary if you would let me-"

"OH MY GOD HAVE YOU GUYS HAD SEX!?" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

I pounced on her, cupping my hands over her mouth to muffle her voice. 

"Mary, I swear to God you have the biggest mouth."

"So you admit it!" she rolls out from under me and off of the mattress.

"No, Mary. We aren't together. We haven't kissed. And we most definitely haven't had sex."

I saw a look of disappointment overtake her face.

"So what are you guys then?"

"We're just friends. That's all we are. Friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in so long! Gosh it's been ages! Hope you enjoyed this one! More to come.


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